400: converting 4-head

[pondering65]

Hello everyone, been cruising this site for a couple of years and finally we are shifting from working full-time and window shopping to retirement and trying to acquire, and become full-time cruisers.

Got us buyers broker and started the process looking for our-new-to-us Lagoon. I've been window shopping for couple of years, but now officially moving forward since I just retired and sold home. We have pretty much decided our first preference is the L-400 S2. Not many of them around unless one is interested in the 4 cabin- 4 head charter version. Would love to find good priced owners version somewhere on the USA hemisphere side but the few I spotted are out of my price range and personally speaking from my research overpriced. Would be ok with 4 cabin and 2 head or 4 cabin 3 head but not the 4 head version as a separate shower area is important. So here are a few questions I have.
Has anyone modified a 4 head into 2 or 3 head? Meaning is it possible, feasible to convert on one hull of a L-400 from a 2 head into 1 large head with separate shower stall? If possible any decent guess how one might go about it, what might be ballpark of cost and if feasible who could perform such work?
Another question is that almost all the 400's are European wired for 230v but they have very few options. Our desire is fully loaded as we intend to be full-time cruisers, meaning, ac/heat, full electronics, electric heads, washer and watermaker, 9k generator. So in getting to the question finally, would it make sense to re-wire one of these 230v to 110v if most of our cruising time will be ICW and Caribbean and then add in new the options listed above in 110v? Our goal is to not be dockside most of the time except during hurricane season where we will find a marina in either northern portion of NC or into Virginia in order to avoid the hurricane insurance costs and cruise upper east coast some when weather windows allow. OR could it make sense (if found) a L-400 with all or most of the expensive stuff listed above but in 230v and during the summer months we just use genset as needed versus dockside electricity?

Please feel free to shoot holes into my thinking as that is the reason for the posting. Again our hope is to find us a L-400 that comes closest to meeting our needs but also our goal is to get this all done and be on the water by Dec. of this year. So in the event we cannot find our 1st preference I do have a 2nd and 3rd preference models, but feedback on those options will be posted if necessary at a later date.

Thanks for any all all feedback. Have been reading on this site for a couple of years now so I know I will get some varied opinions but that's what I am asking for so bring-it-on...

Almost there....

[Moontide]

As far as the shower is concerned, what do you think about just "converting" one head into a separate shower? Pull the head and good to go. Much easier / cheaper with the added advantage of person in shower not tying up the head.

Sounds like you are going to spend a ton on more equipment and installs ($40-60K?). Might also have a hard time buying a boat and getting all that done by December. If you add in those costs are you closer to the owner's version price. Owners versions are usually more expensive because many second owners want that layout and there are a lot less of them built and on the market. The owners versions are usually much less used than ex-charter boats (engine hours, etc.)

Hard to beat the owners version layouts. Will also save a lot of time.

Enjoy the adventure you are starting out on.
Bill

[mfotis]

My story mimics yours pretty closely. I also felt US based Cats were well over priced. I just recently purchased a ex charter 410 S2 with 4 heads. I think the price was right and even with the prior posters estimate of putting $40-$60 into the boat it will still have been much cheaper than buying one in the US. My plan is exactly what you are thinking about......I will remove the aft head ( turn it into storage / desk area etc) and the forward cabin will be all shower. I will also turn the forward toilet to face the other hull and sorta section that off.

[pondering65]

Thanks Bill, that would be the plan, but was wondering if anybody tried anything else.

While I think like mfotis stated I believe if i add gen,ac, watermaker and electric toilet for wife I still spend less than the only couple of owners version boats I seen and those items would be new and good to go for long time. Still I do wonder the 220v versus the 110v. That is were I am more stuck in my thought process. Most charters have limited electrical items. Does it make sense to add 110 wiring/panel etc and then use north american 110v since time spent will probably equal out on Eastern ICW and Caribbean or just leave 220 and purchase European electrical items?

Mfotis - what have you done or considering for electrical needs?

[Cheechako]

Should be easy... a boat work goes. Make the other side extra head into a workshop.